TRTSS31: Martian Encounters!
by ocramed
Summary: As Ranma gets ready for his annual Thanksgiving Day party, he reflects upon his encounter with his astrological birth planet: Mars! A multi-genre story. Part of the TRT x SMST saga...
1. Chapter 1

**TRTSS31: Martian Encounters! – By DS Wynne**

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* * *

**

**Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, War of the Worlds and other properties belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a multi-genre limited series.**

**Special Note: This is a "Thanksgiving Holiday Special" story.**

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* * *

**

**Part 1**

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* * *

**

It was that time of year again, when the lands in the Northern hemisphere get cooler, when the foliage on the trees turn gold and/or red, and when school 'finals' begin to ramp up. It was also that time again, in one particular residence, for-

"FOOTBALL!" Ranma roared, as he sets up his kegs of exotic beers and ales. He wore his Denver Brocos' jersey with pride.

"I wonder if I have enough for everyone," Ranma said to himself, as he recalculated everything in his head. Each year, his guest roster increases in length, with practically everyone he knows, from around the world, stops by for the day for a day of sports and food.

Akane, one of his wives, turn from her chore of fixing American-style food, and looks at him disapprovingly.

"Honestly, Ranma, I swear you've been Americanized a bit too much," Akane said. "I mean, look at all this American food."

"Akane, I tolerate YOUR cooking so that I could enjoy this day of pigging out while watching one of my sports team play ball," Ranma said. "And you know I always invite people over for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, which is traditionally American."

"But it's not even Thanksgiving!"

"I know that. But, I can still celebrate a day of thanks a few days early with family and friends. In fact, the reason why I actually celebrate the day is not because of the Pilgrims getting together with their Amerind neighbors, but to celebrate by being thankful for my life, the lives of my friends and family and my good fortune."

Pause.

"Plus, you know how much of a sports fanatic I am, especially my team, the Broncos."

"Imagine gravitating towards a team where a wild horse is the centerpiece," Akane said sarcastically.

"Well, YOU, my dear, won't ruin my holiday merriment-"

"Minato-domo!" said Tsukumi (aka "Sekirei #09"), as she storms into the kitchen.

"On the other hand…"

"Minato-domo, I find it unbecoming of my future husband to prepare a feast of this size," said the blond Water Sekirei, as she faced Ranma with arms folded. "Besides, how else can I prove myself worthy of being the primary wife, if you won't let me do so?"

Akane grits her teeth while twitching her eyebrows, as she continues to fix the potato salad. Bad enough that she has to deal with Usagi, but having to deal with potentially six more potential mates, one of whom is a transgender shape-shifter, was asking bit much from her at times.

"I think someone needs to check in on the grill?" Akane said through gritted teeth.

"Er, right," Ranma replied, getting the hint. He then refocuses his thoughts on his Sekierei.

"Look, Tsukumi, today, YOU and the others are my guests. Okay?"

"Okay, but the next holiday, I want to be the one to prepare the meals. You got that?"

"Er, yes. Well, I got to check on the meats."

With that, Ranma hurriedly leaves the kitchenette area of the kitchen, leaving Akane alone with Tsukumi.

"What are you looking at?" Tsukumi said haughtily.

'Think happy thoughts,' Akane thought to herself. 'It's only one day…'

Outside, Ranma tended to the meats, while Usagi did her stargazing in the backyard. Well, it was actually Usagi's excuse to drink into oblivion, but she did like astronomy, even before Usagi first became Sailor Moon. Meanwhile, Ranma went about his grilling, using meats generated by his and Usagi's personal starship, the SS "Ranusagi". He had to be sensitive to his guests needs, mostly out of deference to Ryouga's, Mousse's and Pantyhose Taro's special circumstances. The replicated meats were not the genuine article, but they tasted the same without the preservatives and growth hormones found in some meats. Nevertheless, Ranma didn't have to worry about running out of food, and he did shop for other items from local markets…

"Ranma, take a look at this," Usagi said, as she waved Ranma over, while she continued to peer into her telescope.

Ranma, who was flipping hot dogs on a mini-grill (a "hibachi") turns towards his wife. Every other weekend, he and Usagi go out to the outskirts of the city of Tokyo to engage into some "stargazing". The fun part was simply hanging out, listening to some music from a local station while Ranma grilled. This time, since their stargazing fell on the same week as Ranma's party, the couple decided to do both…

"I told you already, that I wasn't going to 'peep' on that Khundian body building competition," Ranma said flatly.

"Not THAT, but I do see a colony of 'Isolus' passing by near Mars," Usagi said, as she steps back to allow her husband to see the colony…

Ranma takes a look at these stellar creatures, as these spores made from pure energy moved about like a colony of fish. He had ran into one of those spores back when he traveled with the Doctor's tenth incarnation and his daughter Rose, and prevented it from ruining the 2012 Olympic Games…

"Yeah," Ranma said with a smile. "That's pretty awesome."

"It's hard to believe that it is only now that people are starting to wake up to the presence of 'extra-terrestrials'," Usagi said with a sigh. "It's just too bad that not every encounter is a joyful one."

"Yeah," Ranma said, as he thinks about a few of those encounters on Mars, for example…

1868 CE: Arizona, United States.

"I really appreciate your help on this, mister," said the Virginian, and former Confederate officer, John Carter, as he and his business partner surveyed the land that stretched as far as the eye can see.

"No problem," Ranma replied, as he utilized the surveying equipment to establish the claim for the Stallion Holdings Company, which was being sponsored by the Japanese government through Ranma. With the push towards modernization, thanks to being forced to open its relations to the United States, Japan sent those familiar with the West to begin negotiations with those companies and governments to secure minerals rights. While Ranma's wife Usagi handled direct negotiations with the United States with the Japanese government representatives, Ranma took care of establishing economic opportunities…

"And with this new mine, the first of many, we could easily reap back our investments tenfold-"

"Wait," John said, as he turns towards a ridge towards his left. "Did you hear that?"

Ranma turns to face the source of John's concern, when an arrow is shot at him. Casually, Ranma grabs it before it impales his face.

"Huh," Ranma said, as he looks at the arrow. "Not bad, and the arrowhead is well-made…"

Ranma then turns towards John's direction, but John was already running back to the camp.

"John?" Ranma said, just as Amerind warriors, from the Apache tribe, comes charging over the ridge in a war cry.

"Oh, boy…"

Sometime later, Ranma and John find themselves in a cave being attended to by an Amerind Hopi medicine woman.

"You two should be careful," said the woman, as she applied salves to Ranma's back. "The Apache do not tolerate strangers in these lands."

"You think?" Ranma replied, as he winced a bit. "This whole trip is a failure, you know."

"We appreciate all the help we can get, ma'am," John said. "Is there another way out of this place?"

"There is, but at considerable risk."

"What's so special about this cave?" Ranma asked, as he puts his shirt back on. "I sense…something unusual about it."

"You are correct. This mesa that we are on revolves through several worlds, both material and immaterial alike; perhaps an infinite number of worlds can be traveled from here."

"Is that why they call this place…'Miracle Mesa'?" John asked.

"Yes, I suppose," the woman said. "Some would call it…the 'Revolving Castle'."

"Wait, what did you say?" Ranma said.

"I said that some would call it the 'Revolving Castle'."

"You don't sound like an ordinary Hopi medicine woman," John said.

"Indeed I am not," the woman said. "I have been a guardian of this place long before the White man came to these lands, and I have seen many things."

"You're a member of the 'Dreamspeakers', then," Ranma said with a nod.

The Dreamspeakers consisted of those shamans and healers, usually from ancient cultures in the Americas, Africa and Australia, whose mystical knowledge was based upon consorting with the spirits, and of knowledge of the Immaterial World. In fact, the Dreamspeakers did not see the difference between it and the Material World…

"I have known of you since the Great Convocation was enacted, Ranma Saotome," the woman said with a knowing smile. "After all, you were the first Primus, representing the affairs of the Akashic Brotherhood, on the Council of the Nine Traditions…"

The Akashic Brotherhood consisted of those mystics whose magic and cultures centered on martial art, and were typically based in East Asia. Together with the Dreamspeakers and seven other mystical and magical societies, the Council of the Nine Traditions (or simply "The Traditions") protects the old ways from the so-called "Order of Reason", soon to be known as "The Technocratic Union" (or simply "The Technocracy"). In fact, the so-called "Wild West" is the latest battlefield between the two groups…

"What are you two talking about?" John asked.

"A way out," Ranma replied. "So, this place sits on a 'node', correct?"

"Correct. You can use it to open a rift to leave this area. But be warned: the planets and the stars could influence your path."

"Better to take the chance, than stay here and get you in trouble," Ranma said, as he turns towards John.

"You're ready for a wild ride, John?"

"I don't even know what's going on here," John said. "But, if we can make our escape…"

"Right, let's go," Ranma said, as he goes deeper into cave.

"Be careful!" said the medicine woman. "Although you'll end up where you need to go, you might not come out the same way…"

"We'll remember that, ma'am," John said, as he tilts his hat. "And thanks for the help."

And with that, John and Ranma walk deeper into Miracle Mesa…

"Where the hell are we?" said a buxom, beautiful red-headed wench, as she looks around the valley filled with strange, weird creatures. She was dressed in a metal bikini, loin cloth and sandals.

"All I know is that we still have yet to catch up with the slavers, Ranma," said her companion. He had to remind himself that the beautiful woman was his business partner.

"Small solace since we're on MARS," Ranma-onna said with annoyance.

Upon exiting the cave, the two found themselves on the planet Mars, but thousands of years into the past, long before the days of the Silver Millennium. The Martians consisted of a variety of races, although the indigenous variety came in a variety of primary colors, and had yet to evolve into the true shape-shifters that they would be known for, and were humanoid in appearance. Humans did live on Mars, although they consisted of former escaped slaves who were able to establish their territories on the planet as "barbarian kingdoms". Making matters worse, for some reason, Ranma and John ended up looking like barbarians themselves; in Ranma's case, he became a version of his female guise, as if it was designed by the fantasy art designer Frank Frazetta. It was Ranma-onna's familiarity with astro-navigation practices that allowed her to deduce where and when she and John are…

"According to one of the escaped slaves, the royal family of Mars knows how to return us to Mars, which means that we have to rescue the Princess of Mars to get their help, then," John said. "At least, we have super-human strength."

John demonstrated this by lifting a heavy rock, and tossing it many yards away.

"That's because of the lighter gravity," Ranma-onna said, as she lifts an even bigger rock, before tossing it away.

"Nothing special."

"Whatever. Let's just find this princess, and get back home."

"This way," Ranma-onna said, as she and John travel to where the slavers roamed…

"Ah, what a pretty wench," said a green Martian, as he inspected an annoyed Ranma-onna. She and John allowed themselves to be captured, so that Ranma-onna could get close to the princess." "You'll fetch a hefty price."

He then turns towards his underling.

"Take her to the others."

"Yes, sir," said the underling, as he escorts Ranma-onna to the holding pen, where the more attractive slaves would be kept.

"Oof!" Ranma-onna said, as she falls onto a mat of hay.

"Are you okay?" said a woman, as she helps Ranma-onna up to her feet.

Ranma-onna turns towards her benefactor.

"Rei?" Ranma-onna said in surprise.

**Tbc.**


	2. Chapter 2

**TRTSS31: Martian Encounters!– By DS Wynne**

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* * *

**

**Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, War of the Worlds and other properties belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a multi-genre limited series.**

**Special Note: This is a "Thanksgiving Holiday Special" story.**

**

* * *

**

**Part 2**

**

* * *

**

The woman in question gives Ranma-onna a quizzical look.

"What?" the woman replied, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Rei Hino. "No, I am 'Dejah' of the House of Thoris, and heir to the kingdom of Helium. What pray tell are you?"

"I am…'Ranko' of the Tendo clan," Ranma-onna said, as she quickly thought up a story. "I am from Earth."

"Ah, then you are a Tau'ri," Dejah replied knowingly. "My ancestors were Tau'ri, before being brought here to this world by the Ancients."

"Tau'ri" was the name Earth humans are called, even in modern times…

"How did you get here?"

"We used a place called 'Miracle Mesa', intending to travel to another part of Earth, but came to Mars instead," Ranma-onna replied.

"Ah, it sounds like you visited the 'Revolving Castle', a place where one travels to where he or she needs to be, not necessarily where he or she wants to go," Dejah replied. "Well, I apologize on your behalf for being caught by the slavers."

"Actually, I am here to save you," Ranma-onna said.

"And how so?"

"I have a friend who is gifted with great strength," Ranma-onna said. "And guess what?"

Ranma-onna easily snaps the chains that bounded her.

"I do, too."

"Excellent!" Dejah said happily. "But we can't leave without the others."

"What others?"

Dejah motions towards the other women who were captured.

"Okay," Ranma-onna said with a nod. "My friend and I will shut down this camp and free these people."

"You promise?" Dejah asked.

"I promise on my word of honor."

"Then I shall keep you to your world, Ranko Tendo of Earth."

And that was that.

When the slavers were on their down-time, John and Ranma-onna made their move to make their great escape.

"Ha!" Ranma-onna yelled, as she delivered a flying kick that knocks over a few of the opposition.

"Oof!" said the lead green Martian, as he and his companions fell over.

Meanwhile, John used a sword to ward off his own attackers.

"I didn't know you knew fencing, John," Ranma-onna said, as she glances towards her business partner.

"I was a graduate of West Point, before the war," John said, as he parried an intended sword blow to his head. "I took the required fencing course."

"Ah," Ranma-onna said, as she picked up a fallen spear, and took aim, and let it fly...

"Ah-!" said another green Martian yelled, as the canopy that Ranma-onna knocked over falls on him and his companions.

Just then, Dejah rides up on some camel-like creature, and twice as big.

"Come!" Dejah said, as she held the creature's reins. "All the prisoners and slaves are free!"

"Thank gawd," Ranma-onna said, as she grabs John by the harness. "John, we're leaving!"

"Right," John said, as he runs with Ranma-onna to the camel-like creature, and, together, hops onto animal.

"Ha!" Dejah yelled, as she flaps the reins and flees the slavers' campsite.

"You must be John Carter," Dejah said, as she glances towards her companions.

"Yes," John replied. "And you must be Princess Dejah Thoris."

"You are correct."

"Where are we going?" Ranma-onna asked.

"We're going to hide in the valley below us, until my father's forces arrive," Dejah said.

"And then he'll help us go home?" John asked.

"He will try. However, the slavers of late have taken most of his attention. After wards, I am sure that my father will help you."

"Great, just great," Ranma-onna sighed.

"What?" John asked.

"It means that we'll be stuck on this world for at least ten years…"

Pause.

"Then again, maybe we can assist the king in dealing with the slavers," Ranma-onna said, as she glances behind her. "That way, we can get back home sooner."

"That sounds like a plan," John said, before tapping Dejah's shoulders. "Princess, what do you say?"

"We can use all the help we can get to rid these slavers," Dejah said.

"Then you got yourself a deal," Ranma-onna said. "I hope Usagi will be okay…"

And thus, the legend of Warlord of Mars (i.e. John Carter) and the Lady of Mars (i.e. Ranko Tendo) began. The pair would use their knowledge of warfare and martial arts to reorganize the kingdom of Helium to free Mars, called Bar'Soom by the natives, from the slavers' reign of terror. And while Ranma-onna was glad to free Helium, she was annoyed by the constant suitors Dejah was sending her way. And by the time the war against the slavers ended in victory, John and Dejah married, and Ranma-onna learned that the two were the direct ancestors of her future spouse R'ei H'no, born of a union between the native Martians and T'auri, and the last princess of Mars before the fall of the Silver Millennium, and who would become the planetary guardian warrior—a "senshi—"Sailor Mars". Meanwhile, Ranma-onna would return to Earth, and back in her normal body, but would have additional encounters with Mars…

1898 CE: Ottershaw, England.

"And so I soundly thrash Lord Blackadder, and his despicable servant Baldrick," said Lord Ranshin Rantsu (i.e. Ranma), as he, his wife Lady Usashinko Rantsu (i.e. Usagi) and their companion Miss Akane Tendo traveled down a cobblestone road towards their destination. All three were dressed as upper-crusted Victorians, particularly since Ranma was the Japanese ambassador to the British Empire.

"And thus, I recovered the Jewel of Zanzibar, thanks to the help of my personal physician, Dr. Conan Doyle."

Akane looked at Ranma, and sighed. She still was trying to find a way back to her own temporal era, after spending a year in America with the Lakota Amerind tribe in the Dakota Territories. Akane didn't like the fact that Ranma left her alone in America, when he and Usagi took off for England in a hurry. Still, she did like the fact that she was finally brought over to be with Ranma, only to learn that he was experiencing a mild psychosis that he has had for a decade at least, but made sure to hide from her…

At least, until now, that is.

"Ranma, I appreciate these stories of yours, but none of them sound like YOU," Akane said. "They sound like those famous detective stories I read in literature class."

"That's because Ranma and Dr. Conan Doyle were the inspiration of those stories," Usagi said, as she continue to do some crochet work.

"And why do we have to be here in this era?" Akane complained. "There's no television, or radio or anything. And we, as women, have to wear these heavy clothes, and deal with sexist jerks all the time."

"That's because the women of this era are ladies, and not 'girls'," Ranma said between puffs.

"You're saying that I'm not a woman?" Akane said angrily.

"See what I mean? Your sisters, in their own way, are more lady-like, from different outlooks, are more lady-like than you are."

"RANMA!" Akane yelled, as she punched Ranma in the face, breaking his pipe in the process.

"And predictable as well," Ranma said, as he pulls out another pipe to smoke it.

"Humph!"

"Akane, being a lady, as opposed to being a girl, is about style and charm," Usagi said, as she puts away her crochet work in her bag. "You got to remember that, like it or not, the women of this era don't have a lot of options."

"And so we use our sex as a weapon?" Akane asked incredulously.

"Precisely. In fact, very little has changed back home in that regard, although it's not a requirement to do our business in the world."

"Well, it's not fair, or right," Akane groused.

"No, it isn't, but things will change when women and men can be true equals without the need for theatrics," Ranma said, as he puffed away.

"Look on the bright side, Akane," Usagi said, as she leans forward. "Only women can look…KWAIIIIIII!"

Akane looks on in horror as Usagi made a cat-like expression on her face.

"I see…"

Later, the trio arrives at their destination, where the real purpose for the trip is revealed…

"ALIENS?" Akane exclaimed in fear and surprise.

"I believe the correct terminology is 'extraterrestrial', Miss Tendo," said the astronomer Professor Wellesley.

"There are aliens from Mars?" Lord Ranshin Rantsu said, as he and his wife Lady Usashinko was giving the tour of the Ottershaw Observatory, as a way of thanking Ranma and Usagi for their donation to promote literacy in astronomy.

"Indeed, Lord Ranshin," Wellesley replied. "A few weeks ago, and this was confirmed by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, explosions could be seen along the canals of the surface of Mars."

"Perhaps it is a natural phenomenon?" Usagi asked.

"Possible, but the explosions were too regular to occur naturally."

"Well, let's just hope that the phenomenon is just that: something that is naturally occurring-"

Just then, the air cracked, as something falls from the skies, followed by thunderous roar that could be felt miles away.

"My word!" Professor Wellesley said.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Akane said, as she clutched Ranma's shoulder out of fear.

"Akane, it's okay," Ranma said, as he calmed his fiancée. "I will protect you."

"I don't need your protection!" Akane replied, as she let's go in a hurry. "I AM a martial artist, you know!"

"Then I shall investigate the matter personally," Ranma said, as he begins to move off.

"Please don't leave me!" Akane said, as she immediately grabs Ranma again.

"Are you SURE you don't need my protection?"

"Just…just stay here for a moment, you jerk," Akane said with a contented sigh. Truth to be known, Akane was reassured by Ranma's presence…

Usagi turns towards her husband Ranma.

"I guess those explosions on Mars weren't 'natural', eh?" Usagi replied with a smirk.

"It appears so," Ranma replied, as he turns towards Wellesley. "Professor, may I use your phone?"

"Of course," Wellesley said, as he signals his assistant to show Ranma the phone.

"Thanks," Ranma said, as he forces Akane to let go of him.

"But-"

"I'll be right in the other room, okay?" Ranma said. "You'll always be safe here."

Akane nods her head, as she lets Ranma to make his phone call. She then turns towards Usagi.

"I'm not going to go home, am I?" Akane asked fearfully.

"Don't worry about it," Usagi said with a pleasant smile. "Whatever happens, you'll be with us, if you want. And after this crisis, we'll take you to see a colleague of ours in Richmond, who has a time machine."

"Really?" Akane said in astonishment.

"Really. The only reason why Ranma and I haven't utilized his services is because of some weird barrier that prevents us from skipping years."

"That sounds strange."

"Tell me about it…"

A few days later, in London…

"As you can see from our aerial surveillance, the falling objects are, in fact, extra-terrestrial crafts," said Commander Sir Campion Bond of British Intelligence, and the handler of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. While the meeting was taking place, Akane was upstairs with a servant of the Rantsu to prepare for the arrival of the Martians…

"They appear to be some sort of tripods," said Captain Nemo, who was an inventor of the world's first true submarine, "The Nautilus".

"That is correct. From the initial skirmishes, it is clear that the hull of these tripods is made from material that can withstand artillery rounds."

"What are the casualties thus far?" asked Mina Harker, demi-vampiress and the present leader of the League, while the hunter Allan Quatermain was recuperating from the League's last adventure…

"Thus far, several dozens, with more to come," Bond said. "Your mission is to determine the strengths and weaknesses of these Martian invaders, and, if possible, stop them from reaching London."

"Well, what are we going to stop them with?" said the immortal Dorian Gray. "Use clubs and knives? Because that's what we have left, if the British military cannot stop them."

"Perhaps the simplest solution is our answer?" Ranma said, as he smoked his pipe.

"Oh, he's playing 'detective again'," said the gentlemen thief Rodney Skinner, aka "The Invisible Man".

"I never play; I do. But think about it; when European first went to Africa and the Americas, what was the number one challenge that these early explorers faced?"

"Germs," said Dr. Jekyll, as he said in surprise. "Of course! There is a good possibility that these invaders do not have immunity to Earth viruses."

"Then we should find out soon," Usagi said, as she used her magics to keep track of the marching alien tripods via a crystal ball. "From their movements, I say that they will have control of the outlining counties by morning."

"Then there is no time to waste," Bond said. "You have your mission. Good luck…"

"Well," said Tom Sawyer with a grin. "We get to meet some real life space invaders."

"Yes, indeed," Ranma replied, as wondered if his previous experience on ancient Mars will be enough to ward off a catastrophe…

"Ranma, are you okay?" Usagi asked, as husband, as the League began to file out of the conference room.

"Yes, my dear," Ranma said, as he kissed Usagi's hand. "I just hope that we can end this crisis peacefully."

"Yeah…"

**Tbc.**


	3. Chapter 3

**TRTSS31: Martian Encounters!– By DS Wynne**

**

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, War of the Worlds and other properties belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a multi-genre limited series.**

**Special Note: This is a "Thanksgiving Holiday Special" story.**

**

* * *

**

**Part 3**

**

* * *

**

After the meeting, Ranma and Usagi meet up with Akane and their servant.

"How was your shopping, Akane?" Usagi asked.

"You make it sound like I was just having a grand o' time," Akane fumed.

"According to ancient lore, a clear, calm mind is a sharp mind," Ranma said, as he smoked his pipe.

"Where did you get that from? A fortune cookie?"

"My dear, the fortune cookie will not be invented for a least a few decades," Ranma said. "So THERE. Nyah!"

"Ranma-!"

"Well, hello," said Dorian Gray, as he tips his hat. "Who is this?"

"One of my fiancées from the homeland," Ranma said.

"Humph!" Akane said, as she gets back into the carriage.

"You really have a way with women," said Tom Sawyer.

"It is not about having one's way with women; it's about knowing the feminine mystique, which is like knowing the difference between the petals and the thorns of a rose."

"How romantic," Usagi sighed.

"Really, you ought to be a bit more discerning about such nonsense," said Mina Harker, as she, Dr. Jekyll and Rodney Skinner walked down the steps with Captain Nemo.

"Just because you've hardened your heart to romance, that doesn't mean you should rain on everyone else's parade," Usagi said, before sticking out her tongue to mock her old friend. "So THERE. Nyah!"

"If dealing with your immaturity is the price of immortality, please put a stake into me now, and then remove my head from my body."

"There are other places I want to…'stake', my dear Mina," Dorian said with a knowing smile.

"Considering your proclivities in romance, I am surprised."

"You wound me…"

"So, what is first step in our mad scheme, Mina?" Rodney asked.

"For this mission, I am placing Lord Rantsu in charge," Mina replied, as she turns towards Ranma. "Ranma?"

"As I have indicated before, Earth's primary defense might be the classic germ," Ranma said.

"How will we verify this?" Dr. Jekyll said.

"We need to secure a 'sample' for verification."

"That might be easy to obtain, Ranma," Nemo said. "From the last intelligence gathering exercise, there is a flotilla of Martian vessels forming a blockade around England. Presumably, it's to isolate England's resolve, while provide a defensive rear."

"And that will our target, then," Ranma said.

"How is that going to help?" Akane asked.

"Because, my dear Akane, the Martians won't expect the Nautilus, that's what…"

Ranma then turns Nemo.

"Captain, can you make any additional space on your vessel?" Ranma asked.

"We will have to remove both supplies and equipment, but I think we can make the space," Nemo said. "Just give me an hour."

"Take whatever time you need, captain."

"What are you going to do, Ranma?" Akane asked.

"We are going to 'bag' a large 'fish', so to speak," Ranma said. He then turns towards the rest of his team.

"Dr. Jekyll, Mrs. Harker: prepare a laboratory that can be sealed away from the rest of the Nautilus. Once we have acquired a specimen, I want to see if my theory is correct."

"Of course," Dr. Jekyll said.

"We can consult with Captain Nemo on this," Mina said with a nod.

"Captain," said an older man with a scraggly beard, as he turn towards Nemo.

"Yes, Ishmael?" Nemo replied.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the chief cook is still sick."

"No doubt he is still waylaid from the illness that has waylaid Quatermain and the others from our last adventure."

"Thank goodness that we have the assistant cook to handle our eating needs," Skinner said.

"Excuse me, but I heard that you need a cook?" Akane asked, while sitting in the carriage.

"And you are, Miss…?" Nemo began to ask. He was generally annoyed by assertive females, but tolerated it since working for the British government.

"My apologies, captain," Ranma said. "This is one my fiancée Miss Akane Tendo."

"Ah, a second wife," Nemo said with a nod.

"Excuse me?" Akane said with annoyance. "I just wanted to know if you can use help in the kitchen."

"We can always use the extra help, especially since I will need my crew to make the necessary modification to the Nautilus," Nemo said.

"Then that settles the matter, then," Akane said.

"Akane, I really think you shouldn't," Usagi said.

"And why not?" Akane said angrily.

"Akane, your skills in the culinary arts are, shall we say…lacking?" Ranma said.

"Ranma, I can't wait until I get you alone," Akane said through gritted teeth, mindful of not messing up her chances to be Nemo's substitution cook…

"Akane, I'll help you in your endeavors," Usagi said with a gentle smile.

"You know how to cook?" Akane said in disbelief.

"Well, I should hope so, after attending 'La Cuisinière Cordon Bleu' in culinary arts in Paris a few years ago."

"I see. Then, why don't you be the cook?"

"I'll have to devout part of my time to this mission, that's why. But doesn't mean I can't help you set things up."

"Then it's settled," Nemo said. "When you are able, have Ishmael send for your things."

"Okay, and thank you, captain," Akane said with a smile. "You won't regret it."

"We'll see about that," Ranma said, as he felt a thrown umbrella to his head. "Ouch…"

For the next two days, the Nautilus shadowed the Martian submerged fleet. They only had one more day before the Martian began their push into London. However, the real threat may be from within the ranks of the League itself…

"Dinner's served!" Akane said, as she sets the plate in front of the assembled League.

"Um, what's that?" Tom asked. "I've honestly never seen that dish before, and I've been all over."

"Well, I wanted to make something special for you guys, for your hard work," Akane said. "And, since it is Thanksgiving in America, I figured that we can have a special meal, even though I couldn't find any turkey on board."

"Huh," Ranma said, as he uses magnifying glass to observe the strange dish. He then turns towards his wife Usagi.

"WHAT are you doing?" Akane asked.

"Nothing, nothing," Ranma said, as he leans over towards Usagi.

"Um, dear, is it…safe?" Ranma asked.

"I don't know, hon," Usagi replied, as she sipped her water. "She made the thing without my supervision, when I did the sanitation inspection for the lab Mina and Dr. Jekyll was setting up."

"Oh."

"Well, American, after you," Dorian Grey said with a smirk, as pans towards Tom. "After all, it's your holiday."

"Um, right," Tom said, as he swallowed hard. He could have sworn that Akane's special dish moved somehow…

"May I have a piece, ma'am?" Tom asked, as he swallowed hard while presenting his plate.

"Sure!" Akane said happily, as she goes to cut the dish. However, as soon as she attempts to do so, it gets up, and runs away.

"Hey!" Akane yelled. "Come back here-!"

"My word!" Nemo said.

"Oy!" Skinner said. "Did that plate of food…move?"

"I am SO glad that I don't have to eat these days," Mina replied, as she sipped on her goblet of blood, thanks to Dr. Jekyll and Nemo's efforts to appease the monster in her.

"In the future, Akane is NOT to be alone in the kitchen," Ranma said.

"Um, sure?" Usagi replied, as she broke out into a sweat.

"Captain!" Ishmael said, as he runs into the dining hall. "We picked up a lone Martian vessel on radar."

"It may be the stray we've been looking for," Nemo said. "Prepare to catch this craft."

"Aye, sir!" Ishmael replied, before running out of the dining room.

"Dinner is thankfully over," Dorian said, as he gets up.

"But…what about that…thing that had ran away?" Tom said.

"Don't worry, Tommy," Skinner said, as he slaps Tom on his back. "I'm sure it'll show up sooner or later."

"Hopefully, never," Dr. Jekyll replied.

"I just wanted to please people," Akane said with a sigh.

"Miss Tendo, a wise man once said, 'To admit not to know is the beginning of wisdom," Nemo said gently. "If you continue to do things in willful ignorance, you will continue to repeat the same mistakes."

"It's just that I want to be as good as Ranma at something," Akane said, as she begins to clear the dining table.

"Then don't try to. Develop you own talents irrespective of Lord Rantsu's presence or abilities."

"Really?"

"Really. If you want to be a good cook, then learn how to cook because YOU want to be a good cook. Same goes with anything else you want to do."

"Well, I want to be a good cook, and a better martial artist, Captain Nemo."

"Then, I tell you what. If you are willing to learn how to be a good cook, I will teach you my craft: Kalaripayattu."

"'Kalaripayattu'?" Akane replied.

"It is one of many martial arts that my nation of India is known for. Normally, I would not teach a woman my Art, but I have been…impressed by the presence of Mrs. Harker and Lady Rantsu."

"Oh, thank you, Captain Nemo!" Akane said, as she goes to hug the rogue mariner. She then notices her breaking of decorum.

"Er, sorry, captain," Akane said in embarrassment.

"Accepted," Nemo said. "No, please return to your quarters. I will have the steward deal with your…work."

"Um, okay," Akane said, as she nodded her head while backing way. "And thank you…"

After Akane leaves, Nemo turns towards Ranma, the last to remain behind.

"It appears that your plan is working, Ranma."

"Indeed," Ranma replied. "There would have been no way Akane would take my advice, due to our mutual history."

"Miss Tendo is certainly a firebrand. Maybe she is avatar of Agni?"

"I hope not…"

Soon, the Nautilus was in position.

"Range: 100 meters," Ishmael said, as he double-checked his sensors. He then turned towards Nemo.

"Sir, that cloak of Lady Rantsu's is firmly in place. There's no indication of detection."

"Excellent," Nemo said. He then signals the shipboard communicator to establish a connection between the Bridge and Auxiliary."

"Bridge to Auxiliary."

Down in Auxiliary, Usagi was floating in a lotus position above a rune circle that had been etched into the floor. "Auxiliary" was another word for Inner Sanctum, especially built to both fulfill the resident sorceress' needs, as well as maximize Usagi's contribution for her team. Lining the walls and floor was a mixture of ancient mysticism and Victorian era techno-magic.

"This is Auxiliary," Usagi said, while she kept her eyes closed.

"Your 'Field of Invisibility' cloak is still firmly in place, Lady Rantsu," Nemo said.

"That is good, because I won't be able to assist you further."

"Is there a problem?"

"The Martian's hive mind is rooted in telepathy, so I am also performing double-duty in making sure that the crew's thoughts were not detected, as you make your approach. I won't be able to discern the status of the Martians themselves, other than emotions."

"Understood, and thank you. Bridge: out…"

Nemo then signals the communications officer to connect with the hanger deck.

"Bridge to Hanger Deck."

"Hanger Deck: here," Ranma said, as he, Tom and Dr. Jekyll's alter-ego Mr. Hyde continue to get suited up. "What's our prognosis?"

"Just a moment," Nemo said, as he turns towards his First Officer. "Ishmael?"

"We're fifty meters from contact, sir," Ishmael said.

"Did you catch that, Ranma?"

"We got it. We'll be ready in a few minutes-"

Just then, Akane enters the hanger deck.

"Ranma, I want to come."

"As what?" Hyde said with a sneer, as he looms over Akane. "As bait?"

"Ah!" Akane said, as she jumps back. "A 'dojo destroyer'!"

"Akane, never mind that," Ranma said. "Look, you can't go because you can't swim."

"I can, too, Ranma! While you were away, Little-Wolf-With-Big-Howl taught me how to swim."

"She did?"

"Yes, she did."

"Well, you're not rate to go on this dive," Ranma said.

"Well, we can always use another spotter," Tom said. "Those waters are going to be murky enough, and the pods are easy to drive."

"Yeah, and that fop Dorian doesn't want to participate in this mission anyway," Hyde said.

"And I DID learn how to drive, you know, before being stuck in the later 19th century, you know."

"Tom, you're not helping," Ranma said. He then looked at the wall clock that was built into the hull.

"Fine, get suited up, Akane. But once we're out there, you have to listen to what I say. Those waters out there are treacherous enough as it is."

"Thanks, Ranma!" Akane said with a smile. "You won't regret it!"

"Why do I think otherwise?"

"What was that?"

"Nothing…"

**Tbc.**

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note: I have two or three more chapters to go, but this story will be concluded within a few days. Until then, have a Happy Thanksgiving! Gobble, gobble!**


	4. Chapter 4

**TRTSS31: Martian Encounters! – By DS Wynne**

* * *

**Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, War of the Worlds and other properties belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a multi-genre limited series.**

* * *

**Part 4**

* * *

After securing the Martian scout, Mr. Hyde secures the vehicle with a heavy chain.

"Errgh!" Hyde said, as the hulk-like man fastens the chain unto the hull. "There! Is that all?"

"It's all," Lord Ranshin Rantsu replied, as he stretched his limbs. He turns to see US Federal Agent Thomas Sawyer treat Miss Akane Tendo's wound, as the young woman sat in a wheel chair with her wounded left leg propped up.

"Ow!" Akane said.

"Don't worry, Miss Tendo," Tom said, as he applied alcohol to the gash of Akane's leg. "I'm almost done."

"But does it have to hurt so much?"

"You okay?" Ranma asked.

"What do you think, Ranma?" Akane yelled.

"Yeah, she's fine," Tom said with a smirk.

Earlier, Ranma and his recovery crew were caught in a trap, when another Martian probe came up from the rear. Luckily, Akane was kept at a distance, due to the fact that Ranma insisted that she remain safe. When the second Martian probe failed to see Akane, she used her air-gun to shoot off a spear into the exhaust port of the second probe, although the resulting explosion that caused a gash in her leg…

"Well, good," Ranma said.

Just then, Nemo and his medical team entered the docking bay, along with Mina Harker.

"Nice job on the field dressing, Agent Sawyer," Mina said, as she took a look at Akane's wound. "I do not see any possible infection that will be a problem…"

Akane visibly stiffened, when Mina began to examine her wound. The dhampire took notice of this.

"Is there a problem, Miss Tendo?"

"Um, I don't know," Akane said. "I mean, you're a vampire and all…"

"I have already eaten, if that is what you are wondering about," Mina said.

"Er, thank you…"

"But I did notice that there could be some torn ligaments, which could hamper Akane's movements."

"Suggestions?" Ranma asked.

"I could prep for surgery," Dr. Henry Jekyll said.

"Our medical supplies are at a premium, unfortunately," Nemo said.

"I could give Miss Tendo a sample of my blood," Mina replied. "That will automatic heal Miss Tendo's wounds."

"Unfortunately, that would risk Akane to the possibility of being a ghoul," Ranma said.

"Only if she were to consume large quantities of my blood," Mina said. "Dr. Jekyll and I were working on a way to combine the good qualities of my blood and his serum. The surgery itself is to realign the ligaments so that Akane's leg can heal. The revised serum will allow for the healing phase to take place relatively quickly."

"How long will that phase take?" Akane asked.

"No more than twenty four hours?" Dr. Jekyll said. "Recovery from that point on should not be a problem."

"When can the surgery be ready?" Nemo asked.

"We can begin right away, captain."

"Good," Ranma said with a smile, as he turns and leans into Akane. "You hear that?"

"Yeah, Ranma, I did," Akane said with annoyance.

"Excellent," Ranma said, as he kisses Akane on the forehead. "And don't worry; you're in safe hands."

As Ranma straightens himself, and begins to turn away, Akane suddenly grabs Ranma.

"Ranma, wait," said Akane softly. She reached over towards her wayward fiancé.

"Look, I…appreciate you looking after me, Ranma," Akane said gently, as she looked away.

"I know, which is why I want to always watch your back," Ranma said with a smile. He then moves his head to the side towards Akane, as if he was looking at her butt.

"And baby, you got 'back'."

"Ranma, you pervert," Akane said with amused annoyance.

"Heh."

Thanks to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen's successful mission, Captain Nemo and Lady Usagi were able to decipher the language of the alien invaders. As suspected, the aliens were indeed from Mars, having fled their dying world for a new one. However, thanks to the League acquiring the Martian scout, the Technocratic Union was able to develop the means to successfully launch a counterstrike, forcing the Martians to flee, and thus end the invasion.

However, the Martians would not be deterred from their agenda.

Taking advantage of the Technocracy's standard protocol of suppressing alien intervention in Earth's affairs, the Martians embarked upon a multi-tier approach towards taking over the Earth. Not wanting to take any chances for future failure, the Martians began a slow process of infiltrating American society, starting with various industries. This was first achieved when a Spanish physicist named Dr. Emilio Lizardo used a device called an "oscillation overthruster" to pierce through solid matter while on a land vehicle. Unfortunately, he had re-emerged changed, exhibiting criminal behavior. Somehow, he had encountered the Martians, and had his mind replaced to serve them. From that point on, Lizardo, and all others who had also been altered, would secretly prepare the way for the return of the Martians under many guises, including a front company called "Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems". Thankfully, Lizardo had been caught violating an American embargo that of raw good, which was used to protest the invasion of China by Imperial Japan, and would not be released for years.

Unfortunately, infiltrating American society by the Martian was but one strategy, nor would it prevent a second Martian invasion, when the Martians decided to take advantage of the chaos that was the second World War and the Korean War…

1953 CE: Linda Rosa, California (West of Los Angeles).

"I tell you, I really appreciate this, Clay," Ranma said, as he sat back in his lounge chair while opening a beer can. His old friend from the Manhattan Project, Dr. Clayton Forrester of the Pacific Institute of Technology, had invited Ranma to a fishing trip, after Ranma and Usagi returned to the United States for a well-deserved, extended vacation. Previously, the couple had spent time on the Korean Peninsula, as participants of the Korean War. At the conclusion of the war, the couple wanted some much-needed down time, and thus went back to America for vacation…

Now, while Usagi was on her shopping tour of Beverly Hills with her celebrity friends, Ranma decided to accept an offer from an old friend for a weekend of fishing.

"Anytime, Ranma," Clayton said, as he takes out a beer can from the cooler. "Any excuse to get out of the lab is a GOOD excuse."

"Yeah," Ranma said. "Although, we have yet to get any fish."

"Well, the night is still young-"

Suddenly, the sound of a peaceful evening is interrupted by the thunderous crackling sound.

"You hear that?" Ranma asked, as he sets his beer down on a nearby stool.

"Yes, I do," Forrester said. "It sounded like a-"

In the distance, something hard had fallen from the skies with a noticeable impact. In spite of the distance, the two men could still feel it.

WHOOM!

"Whoa!" Ranma said, as he steadied his drink. "Did you feel that?"

"That felt solid," Clayton said, as he sets his drink down, and get up. "We better see what's going on."

"So much for fishing…"

Later, miles away, everyone in Linda Rose gathers around near the fallen object, as it lay very still in its crater.

"Everyone, stay back!" said the local sheriff's deputy, as he and his men cordoned off the area.

Just then, Clayton and Ranma drive up to the scene.

"There she is," Clayton said, as he turns off the motor, and gets out of the vehicle.

"Indeed," Ranma said, wondering why all this seemed familiar…

"Hey, you!" said one of the sheriff's deputies. "You're not supposed to be here!"

"I'm a scientist," Clayton replied.

"And I'm a scientist, too," Ranma replied. "Actually, I'm more of an engineer, than a scientist."

"You?" the deputy said. "I find that hard to believe!"

"Okay, what is the formula for the Einstein theory of relativity?"

"Um, I'm not sure."

"Then why assume that I wouldn't know that? You don't know me."

"He has a point there," Clayton replied.

"Let me talk to the Sheriff," the deputy said, as he scratched his head. "He's consulting on what to do, even as we speak with some astronomer and his assistant."

"Oh?"

A few minutes later, Clayton and Ranma meets with the astronomer Dr. Matthew Collins, and his niece Miss Sylvia van Buren. Sylvia was a local teacher who specialized in astronomy and physics at the local high school. Dr. Collins also was the local pastor, when he is not given lectures at the University of California at Los Angeles….

"You must be the sheriff's consultant," Clayton said, as he shook Dr. Collins' right hand with his own. "I am Clayton Forrester, of the Pacific Institute of Technology, and this is my associate Ranma Saotome."

"Hello," Ranma replied, as he shook both Dr. Collins and Sylvia's hands respectively.

"You're Japanese," Sylvia said.

"Last time I checked," Ranma replied sarcastically. "And you're an idiot."

"Wha-?"

"Easy, Ranma," Clayton said. "I'm sure that Miss…?"

"Sylvia van Buren," the young woman said, as she eyes Ranma. "This is my uncle, Dr. Matthew Collins."

"You teach at UCLA?" Clayton said.

"I do," Dr. Collins replied.

"Of course! I attended a symposium on the possibility of extraterrestrial life, where you were one of the guest speakers."

"Aye."

"But…I still can't understand how you can be a man of the cloth, and a scientist. Are they mutually exclusive?"

"I find that my faith in God is affirmed in science," Dr. Collins said. "Faith is about exploring the infinite possibilities that makes us human, while science is man's way of confirming those possibilities."

"And what if there is no God?" Ranma asked curiously. He knew the truth about the Universe, and is knowledgeable of many of its secrets, many of which are still unsolved. No, he liked to play the role of "Devil's Advocate" when testing another person's character…

"Even if there was no God, my faith is not based upon the existence of 'godhead', but in the innate complexity of the Universe," Dr. Collins said. "That is why I find it highly unlikely that there would not be others like us, out there in the cosmos."

"Huh," Ranma said with smile. "Good answer."

"Thank you." Dr. Collins said with a smile. He then turned towards the object in question that sat very still.

"What do you make of this, Dr. Forrester?" Dr. Collins said. "It looks too…circular to be a naturally-made object."

"Agreed," Clayton said. "I got my Geiger counter in the trunk of my car."

"Why do you have a Geiger counter?" Ranma asked.

"Well, I'm always touring the nuclear testing sites."

"Oh, yeah…"

"What do you hope to find, Dr. Forrester?" Sylvia asked.

"Well, we can check the point of origin by calculating the amount of radiation that the object has."

"Well, you better let me do the checking," Ranma said. If there were significant amounts of radiation emanating from the fallen object, he had a better chance of survival than a normal human can…

"Why you?" Sylvia asked.

"Hey, we can let the expert take the risks, right?" Ranma said with a cocky smile.

"Good point."

With Dr. Forrester's Geiger counter, Ranma took the readings without any problems. After securing the data, Forrester suggested that he goes over to the local observatory with Dr. Collins, so that they could calculate exactly where the object came from. Meanwhile, Ranma decided to park near the object, after the sheriff cleared most of the local from the area, after it was confirmed that the fallen object did indeed emit radiation. Curiously, Sylvia decided to keep Ranma's company…

"You really don't have to be here, Miss Van Buren," Ranma said, as he sat back in the seat.

"No, I don't have to," Sylvia said. "Look, I wanted to apologize for my rudeness from earlier…"

Sylvia presents to Ranma a picnic basket full of food."

"No, you don't need to," Ranma said. "In fact, Clayton and I came up here to catch some fish."

"And did you?" Sylvia asked.

"Um, no…"

"Then accept my basket," Sylvia said with a smile.

"Um, okay, thanks," Ranma said, as he accepts the basket of food. "And, um, sorry for being sarcastic and all."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. It's just that in spite of the fact that I am an American citizen, I got to deal with ignorant statements because of the war."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about that, Mr. Saotome."

"Please, call me Ranma."

"Okay, Ranma," Sylvia said with as smile. "Look, I got to go, but I just wanted to say that I am sorry for being rude. It's just that I lost my parents when the Japs, I mean, Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor while my parents were on vacation in Hawaii."

"Trust me, when I say that I understand," Ranma replied.

Sylvia smiled, as she gets back into her car.

"I'll see you later, Ranma," Sylvia said with a nod, as she begins the trip back into town.

With a sigh, Ranma leans back in his seat, only to be disturbed by a rambling truck that came up to the side.

"Hey, you awake?" the driver, a Mexican farmer, said, as he stopped his car. With him was a person who had placed his press pass on his hat.

"I am now," Ranma said with annoyance. "What's up?"

"I wanted to know if you can talk to the sheriff's deputy for us," the reporter said. "You know, so that we can get a better look."

"Do I look like I work for the cops? Ask him yourself."

"Thanks a lot, pal," the reporter said. He then turned towards his companion.

"Drive on."

With that, the farmer and the reporter drove to the crash site to speak to the presiding deputy.

"Morons," Ranma said, as he leans back into the seat of his borrowed car. As he closed his eyes, he extended his senses, in order to hear what was going on.

_Hey, you think we could take a look at this thing in person, deputy…?_

_Wait, what is that sound…?_

_The top of that object appears to be unscrewed…?_

_There seems to be a long neck with a nozzle of some kind sticking out…_

_Maybe there is someone inside? We can show him that we mean no harm with a white flag of surrender…_

Ranma immediately opened his eyes, when he heard an unusual sound coming from the object. He bolts right up, leaps out of the car, and runs down to the crash site.

Upon reaching to the crash site, he immediately sees that the fallen object had reconfigured itself into a full-fledge space craft. The nozzle head itself was tri-colored, was glowing hot, and was preparing to discharge ionized energy.

"No!" Ranma said, as he sprung into action, as he tackled the sheriff's deputy, the reporter and the farmer out of the range of fire, preventing their deaths in process.

SKREEEE-!

"What the hell?" the deputy said, thanking the fact that he was still alive, as he pulled out his pistol.

"Oh, Dios mio!" the farmer said, as he looked at his destroyed truck.

"That thing could have disintegrated us!" the reporter said.

Ranma checks on the three men, and then turned his attention towards the alien spacecraft. There was no doubt that Earth was facing a new alien invasion.

"And here I wanted to just go fishing this weekend," Ranma said with a smirk.

**Tbc.**


	5. Chapter 5

**TRTSS31: Martian Encounters! – By DS Wynne**

* * *

**Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, War of the Worlds and other properties belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a multi-genre limited series.**

* * *

**Part 5**

* * *

The first strike against Earth by the Martians was initially devastated. The previous Martian invasion force failed for two reasons. One, they arrogantly assumed that humans were not capable of being a credible threat, and, two, they didn't anticipate the fact that humans had, even their ranks, "extraordinary" individuals who were able to learn that the so-called invasion force was "artificial" (i.e. drones), and that they were being controlled by a central mainframe. That invasion ended when both the mainframe—and the craft that contained it—was destroyed. When that happened, all the drones were shut down, thus ending the invasion. Subsequently, the Technocratic Union suppressed documentation of the invasion out of fear that humanity was not ready to know that there was other lifeforms beyond Earth's "shores". Unfortunately, it was because of this arrogance that allowed the Martians to subsequently invade the Earth, yet again…

It was the 10th day of the Martian invasion. Dr. Forrester had determined that the aliens were indeed from Mars, and had brought to Earth new war machines. These appeared to be triangular-shaped vehicles that had flexible forward nozzles that were mounted on elongated necks towards the front of the vehicles. These vehicles traveled across the planet in packs of threes, but never seemed to be particularly "airborne ready" like a traditional aircraft. However, that didn't matter, since, thus far, nothing could pierce the invasion force's armor plating, if not the force fields that the Martian vehicles could produce at will. Compounding the matter was that there were no longer any meta-humans available this time around, due to the fact that many had died during World War II, and simply disappeared. The only heroes active from the so-called Golden Age were Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, and all three were stretched thin.

Still, all was not lost, when Dr. Forrester and Ranma, at the Pacific Institute of Technology, came up with a plan to at least slow down the alien invasion force, after the disaster nuclear counter-strike, even as Ranma was also preparing a report to present to his superiors based upon his analysis on the Martians themselves. "Hmmm," Ranma said, as he continued to examine one of the samples that were taken from one of the aliens, thanks to an accidental encounter involving Sylvia.

"Here you go, Ranma," Sylvia said, as she gives Ranma one of the cups of coffee in her hand. She took a glance at one of the armatures that had been torn from one of the Martian ships: a probe that ended with a tri-color lens…

"Thanks," Ranma said, as he looks up from his microscope to accept the hot beverage.

"So, what did you find anyway?"

"Well, from my analysis, I have determined that the aliens are indeed from Mars, based upon forensic evidence taken from various wrecked Martian war drones," Ranma said, as he took a sip of his coffee. "However, due to the lack of complexity of the genetic material, I say that these aliens are drones as well."

"How do you know this?" Sylvia asked curiously.

"All life forms, no matter the species, have distinctive individual characteristics, save for identical twins. However, even then, twins can have different recessive traits."

"That keeps the twins from producing essentially clones when having children," Sylvia said.

"Right. However, from my analysis of the Martian sample, both the dominant traits and the recessive traits are exactly the same."

"And that's a sign for cloning."

"Bingo. If you wanted to produce an army quickly, what do you do?"

"You eliminate the variation in order to produce the desired 'product' as cheaply as possible," Sylvia said. "Like an assembly line."

"Precisely. Creating an army of ready-made clones would be more expensive if there is any variation of the genetic code."

"Huh," Sylvia said. "So…the creature I ran into was a clone?"

"Looks like that is the case," Ranma said.

"You know, I never picture you as the scientific type."

"Well, I'm not; I'm more of an application guy myself, with the emphasis on engineering and aeronautics. But over the years, I had to learn such fascinating subjects like field medical techniques and bio-weaponry, in the course of executing my duties with the Feds."

"Which means that you had to learn life science, am I right?"

"Yep."

"You know, I never took you to be anything other than a handsome man with a nice 'disposition'."

"Thanks, I guess. But don't tell anyone that I'm actually 'well-rounded', or my fans will take away my 'jock' card."

Sylvia giggles at the self-deprecating humor, when-

BUZZ!

"Yes?" Ranma said, as he pressed the button on the intercom.

"Ranma, Sylvia, it's time," said Dr. Forrester via the intercom system.

"We're on our way," Ranma said, as he begins to put away his samples, even as Sylvia helps to assemble Ranma's notes. "Well, it's show time."

"Do you think Dr. Forrester's plan will work?" Sylvia asked.

"It better," Ranma said. "Otherwise, what I discovered about these Martians will be useless information."

"Oh?"

A short while later, Dr. Forrester and his team were assembled. With him was the military liaison assigned to the team…

"Dr. Forrester, are you sure that you're ready?" asked freshly-minted Lt. John Wilson, West Point Military Academy graduate. While he would rather fight on the front lines against the invasion, he did believe in the scientist's idea that a scientific approach to the problem was better than to simply sacrifice more lives and resources. Right now, Lt. Wilson was assigned by his superior, General Henry Mann, commander of the Anti-Martian Task Force, to oversee the development of the Marian counter-measures.

"As much as we can be," Clayton said. "My only fear is that the power being re-directed from the Hoover Dam might not be enough to pull off the desired effect."

"What is the point of all this again?" Sylvia asked.

"From my research, each Martian vehicle is capable of producing 'electro-shields'," Clayton said. "Each shield creates a barrier that renders artillery rounds and nuclear weapons useless…"

Pause.

"Essentially, we use the power lines in the area to create a polarized electro-magnetic field that will render the Martian craft's shield useless."

"And the craft's armor?" Lt. Wilson asked.

"The new artillery rounds and missiles will be tipped with processed uranium."

"How do you know, Clay?" Sylvia asked.

"Back when I was with the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, we determined that the armor of the Martian war drones were susceptible to uranium, based upon Pierre and Madame Curie's work," Ranma said. "Strange couple, those two were."

"Wait, how do you know about them?" Wilson asked. "You act like you knew them personally?"

"You really should have read Ranma's dossier, Lt. Wilson," Clayton said.

"I suppose I should have…"

"But the Curries knew what they were doing, and had used that genius to formulate the means to pierce the armor of the probe drones," Ranma said.

"And now, the actual Martians are here, this time in person and with better technology," Lt. Wilson said.

"Bingo," Clayton said. "But, if we're successful, the military's chances against the Martian will be greater."

"I do want to add that the success of Dr. Forrester's counter-measures will enable the military to pierce the armor of the Martians," Ranma said forthrightly.

"What did you find, Ranma?" Clayton said.

"My initial analysis has been confirmed," Ranma said. "The alien samples have shown that the creatures are indeed Martians, but they are drone warriors."

"What do you mean?" Wilson asked.

"They are essentially like ants, but capable of cognitive thought."

"In other words, they are the perfect soldiers," Clayton said with a nod. "What about weaknesses?"

"Due to their anemic physiologies, normal germs will be hazardous to their health."

"Meaning…?"

"They are lacking in the kind of immunity to germs that would give us colds."

"Our weapon," Lt. Wilson said with a nod and a smile. "It may be tricky to mobilize the counter-response, even if Dr. Forrester's plan is a success, but it is better than nothing."

"Then, inform General Mann that we are ready to initiate our plan," Clayton said.

"Right," Lt. Wilson said, as he picks up the hotline phone. "Yes? Betty? Connect me to General Mann's war room…"

"Ranma, Clayton, do you think we can beat back the Martian invasion?" Sylvia asked.

"I don't know about Clay, but I think so," Ranma said.

"Let's just hope that you are right, Ranma," Clayton said grimly. "Let's just hope you're right…"

In spite of some close calls, Dr. Forrester's plan proved to be a success. And, with the Martian's shields neutralized, the military was able to use the modified weaponry to down the surprised Martians. And, as predicted by Ranma's analysis on Martian physiology, the Martian bio-drones proved to be susceptible to Earth germs, seemingly killing them. Unfortunately, the damage was already done; as it was in the case of any war, lives were lost, homes were destroyed, and families were torn apart. In one particular case, a young boy named Harrison Blackwood lost his parents during the initial skirmish. It was on the last day of the Martian invasion that Clayton and his associates had come across the boy, who was later taking in by Sylvia and her uncle Dr. Collins. However, in the aftermath, something odd had happened a week later, even as the American government and others had begun clean-up operations…

It was a busy day, as citizens in Linda Rosa begin to rebuild their torn lives. So busy were the people, that they failed to see an atmospheric distortion taking place in an alley near the heart of town.

"Oof!" said a red-haired girl, as she lands on her feet. She was quickly followed by two others: a younger man with longish hair, and a slightly older, bearded man with curly hair. They were all dressed as if they had been living on the streets for a while, and that they needed a shower to boot.

"We made it?" said the younger man, as he looked behind him, even as the spatial distortion went away.

"We should, if our intelligence was correct, Kincaid," the bearded man replied. He then turned towards his female companion.

"You remember anything, Ranko?"

"I just need to get my bearings straight, Harrison," Ranko said. "Neither Duncan nor I have been in this era in, well, thirty-five years."

"I really wish you didn't call me by my real name, Ranma," Kincaid said.

"Okay, 'John'," Ranko said mockingly. "It's not like there are any Martians around us anyway."

"We don't know that," said the man Ranko referred to as Harrison. "What we do know is that the Martians of our time are taking advantage of a rare, cosmological event that would enable anyone to travel through time. Now, we only have a 12-hour window of opportunity to stop whatever it is that their forwarding team is planning on doing."

"Well, it's obvious," Kincaid replied. "We know that the Martians lost the invasion, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Clayton Forrester and his team at the Pacific Institute of Technology. Going back in time would mean to undo what would happen afterwards."

"But why now?" Ranko asked. "Logically, they should have injected themselves at the beginning of the invasion, not the end."

"Unless there is something 'long-term' that is being planned," Harrison replied, as he took a peek out of the alley. "Come on…"

As the trio leaves the alley, they are unaware that a smartly dressed man was staring at their every movement.

"They made it to this time," said Malzor coolly, as he assessed the situation. He then turned to his assistant.

"Mana, I want you and two others to head for the home of Dr. Collins," Malzor said, as he adjusts his glasses. "Make sure to eliminate all that lives at that residence. Meanwhile, I will proceed with our primary objective."

"By your command," said the demure female named Mana. Everyone who was assigned to this particular mission was dressed in period clothing, even as the Martians used "flesh suits" to hide their inhumanity.

After Mana and two underlings began to walk way, Malzor keeps his eye on the Harrison, Kincaid and Ranko.

"Either way, we will have won this war, humans," Malzor said, before walking away himself.

**Tbc.**

* * *

**Author's Note: I am using elements from the television series version of "War of the Worlds". FYI.**


	6. Chapter 6

**TRTSS31: Martian Encounters! – By DS Wynne**

* * *

**Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, War of the Worlds and other properties belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a multi-genre limited series.**

* * *

**Part 6**

* * *

Later that day, after Ranko, Blackwood and "Kincaid" secures a local newspaper, since Kincaid STILL could not believe that they had traveled through time into the past, a local newspaper reporter steps out of her shop to hear the lamentations of a "newsie" (i.e. a newspaper boy).

"Aw, man!" exclaimed the boy, as he took a look at the coin that he had gotten from Blackwood.

"What's wrong, Tommy?" said the woman to the boy.

"Oh, hi, Miss Watson," Tommy said. "Nothing, except-"

"Except what?" Miranda Watson asked.

"It's just that I sold a paper to this guy and, well…"

Tommy shows the coin to Miranda. Miranda takes a look at it, and frowns…

"Who gave you this coin?" Miranda asked.

"I got it from that guy," Tommy said, as he points to the departing time-traveling trio. "It's the bearded guy, the one who is standing next to the redhead."

"I see," Miranda said, as she took a look at the man, then back at the coin, and then back at the man. He and his companions looked like vagabonds, and stuck out in the crowd like a sore thumb. However, given the fact that the world is still recovering from the Martian Invasion, dressing uncouth was understandable. Still, there was the coin and all…

"You think they're Russian, ma'am?" Tommy asked.

"Why would you say that?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's because of the coin?"

"Well, we'll see," Miranda said. She then turned back towards Tommy.

"Look, I'll trade you that coin with some real money," Miranda said, as she fished for some money from her purse. "Deal?"

"You got it!" Tommy says enthusiastically.

In the back of Miranda's mind, she did wonder about the mysterious trio, and where they came from…

Meanwhile, in the quarantine section of Linda Rosa, just outside of the main town, Dr. Forrester and his team, along with the Federal government's representatives, were having a discussion as to what to do next…

"Why would you want to excise all this from the public conscious?" Dr. Forrester asked General Mann. "The people have the right to know that humanity is not alone in the Universe."

"And to what end, doctor?" Mann said. "Do you really think the people of the world are rational enough to handle such knowledge?"

"Maybe if we explain to them-"

"Actually, I have to agree with the general," Ranma said.

"But why?" Dr. Forrester asked. "You yourself have indicated that these Martians have invaded Earth before."

"Yes, and how long do you think that humanity will become so xenophobic that it will be hostile to even peaceful aliens?" Ranma said. "We as a people can't even agree to be good neighbors towards one another."

"Then, what can we do?" Dr. Forrester asks.

"We prepare for the next incursion, but we don't let the enemy know that we know how to stop them."

"Plausible deniability," General Mann said with a nod. "But…how are we going to convince the public of this."

"Perhaps…I can be discredited?" Forrester suggested.

"You would really accept that?"

"We need more time," Forrester said. "And if me taking the blame for a hoax is the answer, then be it-"

"Sir!" said a military policeman, as he enters the office.

"What is it?"

"We caught four people snooping about the cordoned off area," the MP said. "They wanted to see Captain Saotome and Dr. Forrester in particular."

"This ought to be good," Ranma said with a smirk, as he and his party were led to the detention area…

"It's about time you showed up," Ranko said, as she finished pacing back and forth.

"What?" Ranma said.

"You know this person?" Mann asked.

"Yeah, he does," Ranko said.

"Okay, tell me something that only I should know," Ranma said flatly.

"You are deathly afraid of cats."

"Big deal."

"You're even more afraid of…Mister Popo."

Ranma's eyes widened, as he realized that he suddenly stopped breathing.

"Saotome, you okay?" Forrester said, as he smacked Ranma on the back. Ranma coughed furiously in order to breath.

"Shall I talk about the third thing you're afraid of?" Ranko said. "Something about…a 'mangina'?"

"Okay, okay, I believe you," Ranma said. "I don't want to hear that name."

"Humph. To think that you have yet to master those fears of yours…"

"But what the heck are you doing here?"

"Yes, I want to know myself," said Miranda.

"You're not with them?" Mann asked.

"No! I'm a local reporter covering the scoop of the century, when these three show up."

"Actually, we can explain," said Kincaid, as he stands up.

"Duncan?" Ranma said. Last time he heard, Duncan MacLeod was in the United Kingdom…

"Yes, but I think Dr. Blackwood can explain things," Kincaid said.

"'Blackwood'?" Forrester said. "Are you related to Harrison Blackwood?"

"Yes, in a manner of speaking," Blackwood said. "You see, we're from the future, and we came back to stop a Martian from changing the timeline…"

Blackwood quickly accounts the events that would lead to the day when Meltzer would attempt the change the past by given his Martian brethren a special vaccine that would protect the invaders from Mars from ordinary bacteria. He would tell all who were present that the Martians that were defeated would go underground to hibernate in order to develop the immunity on their own. Once done, they would then learn how to use humans as hosts for infiltration purposes. From that point on, a shadow war would occur, with the Martians—the ones who had adapted to Earth's environment—trying to prepare the way for others of their kind for a full scale invasion.

"We lost…many along the way," Blackwood said somberly. He then turns towards Kincaid.

"Thankfully, we had long since developed a network of operatives—human and Martian alike—who work diligently to stop Meltzer and those like him."

"You mean…you have Martians working with us?" Miranda said.

"Well, in the process of infiltrating society, many have adopted their new-found humanity," Ranko said. "In fact, it was because of some of them that we learned what Meltzer has been doing of late."

"We're confident that we'll win this…war of the worlds," Blackwood said. "But we have to prevent Meltzer's latest plan from becoming a success."

"Wow, what a scoop!" Miranda said. "The world should know about this, especially since time travel is possible-"

"Miranda, it's very important that you do not reveal the truth about what is going on," Blackwood said. "Any change to the timeline at this point could set us back, maybe for good."

"He's right," Ranma said. "Not to mention, a time paradox might occur."

"What do you mean by that?" Mann said.

"He means that the Universe might be destroyed if a series of impossible events happen, general," Forrester said. "In other words, think of time as a freight train, and a paradox is a bent part of a train track."

"Everything gets derailed," Mann said. "Okay. We'll play things smartly. We can create a cover that will get the enemy to think that we do not believe that Martians do not exist. Meantime, an infrastructure could be set up, so that when the Martians do show up again, humanity we'll be ready."

"I have one more thing to suggest," Ranko said, as she turns towards Miranda. "Miranda, isn't it?"

"Yes, what?" Miranda said, lamenting the fact that she would not have the scoop of the century…

"You like to write? Why not write what you have learned about the Martians in the form of a science fiction novel? You can give the people of the future the clues needed to combat the Martians."

"How would that help you?" Miranda asked.

"Because of this," Blackwood said, as he presents an old copy of HG Wells' classic science fiction novel, "The War of the Worlds".

"So?" Miranda said.

"Look at the preface."

Miranda looks at the preface, and realized that the book's editor, for this later edition, was none other than Miranda itself.

"Me?" Miranda said.

"And with a special printing process, you left plenty of clues and notes on how to defeat the Martians," Kincaid said, as he hands over a special pair of glasses to the reporter.

Miranda puts on the glasses, and sees additional text, albeit smaller, on each page.

"We were able to distribute our messages the same way," Blackwood said. "And that's how we are able to defeat the Martians."

"I…I don't know what to say," Miranda said. "I'll do anything to save Earth."  
"Then, are we in agreement?" Mann said. "As far as the world is concerned, the Martians never existed. Right?"

"Agreed," Forrester said, as he looked at the future version of his adopted son.

"Then, it's settled," Ranko said. "Now, we should deal with Malzor."

"I'll help," Ranma said.

"No," Ranko said. "You'll deal with him in YOUR future. He's mine NOW."

"Humph. Spoiler sport…"

Blackwood and his team were able to prevent Matzor from given the cure to his Martian brethren, and forced the commander to return to the future. Once done, they returned to the future as well…

FWOOMP!

Ranko realized that they were back in the abandoned amusement park, located on the old fair grounds near Linda Rosa, California, where Meltzer was conducting his time travel shenanigans. She then quickly checked her chronometer…

"Ranma?" Blackwood asked.

"Yep, we're back in the year 1990," Ranko said.

"He's getting away!" Kincaid said, as he spots the fleeing Malzor.

With the trio's attention drawn, they didn't see one of Malzor's men standing to aim a green crystal that was in his hand. It channeled bio-energy, which discharges a disintegrating energy beam…

WHACK!

As the Martian went down, Miranda, now thirty years older, drops the two-by-four.

"Really, you guys ought to be a bit more careful," Miranda said, as she dusts herself off.

"Yeah, yeah," Ranko said, as she shifts back to her male form. "Whatever…"

"Well, it looks like the loop is closed now," Blackwood said. "And from this point on, we're on our own."

"I kind of like it," Kincaid said with a smile. "You know, the challenge of not knowing how the future will turn out."

"Well, I don't know about you three, but consider this my last act as a member of the Blackwood Group," Miranda said, as she turns away a bit before returning her attention back to her colleagues. "You know, maybe I can write my memoirs after all…"

In the years since, the Blackwood Group would take on additional challenges, and not just the challenge of fending off Martian invasions. In fact, over the years, the clandestine organization would have to fend off a number of alien incursions behind the scenes. On occasion, they would work with other governmental organizations or like-minded civilian groups. Eventually, the Blackwood Group would complete its mission, when it stopped the last of the Martian invasions in 2005. And when that happened, Dr. Harrison Blackwood, after turning over control of the organization to Mana, a former underling of Malzor, was able to finally retire, having fulfilled Dr. Clayton Forrester's legacy…

END FLASHBACK!

"Ha!" Ares, the Olympian god of war, said to his friend and rival. "It appears that you precious 'Broncos' will lose after all.

"Don't bet on it, 'Mars'," Ranma said, referring to his friend by his Roman nomenclature.

"Humph."

Just then, there was an interception of the football.

"YEAH!" Ranma yelled, as he jumped up from his seat. "Go Broncos-!"

"Is he always like this?" Rei "Sailor Mars" Hino asked her co-wife. She wanted to spend some time with her husband Ranma, but she never expected having to do so with a bunch of people around…

"Only when his sports team is on," Akane said. She was still annoyed that her co-wives had decided to show up for the gathering.

"I wish he didn't act so…American."

"On THAT I agree…"

"Let me put it to you this way, my dears," Ranma said. "If the Broncos won't be the only ones scoring tonight. The question is 'who'."

Rei and Akane looked at Ranma, then at each other….

"GO BRONCOS!" Rei said, as she cheered.

"Um, yeah!" Akane said. She then uses her Red Lantern power ring to create multiple copies of herself as cheerleaders.

"Heh," Ranma said. He then turned to one of his colleagues.

"Well, J'onn? What do you think?"

"I find this game…interesting," said the Martian Manhunter, as he ate his Oreo cookies. Rarely did he get invited to participate in sporting events.

"I am only here to get to know my husband better," said Eve, who, like her clone sister Sil, was a xenomorphic species.

"Get in line, fake Martian," said Rei.

"At least, I wasn't reborn as a human…twice," Eve said, as she shifts her hand into claws.

"Bring it, monster woman!" Rei said, as she created a flame in her hand.

"Ah!" Martian Manhunter yelled in fright. "Fire!"

"Where?" said Martian Girl, as she hides behind the couch. Martians were generally afraid of germs.

Mana sighs, as she sipped her drink. With the defeat of Malzor, Mana, a Martian with a human host, was given the opportunity to work as an associate with the Blackwood Group early on. Eventually, she came to fall in love with Ranma, who dared to stand up against the alien horde…

Not that she would admit to such a thing any time soon…

All in all, Ranma Saotome's connection to Mars will always be a peculiar one, even obliquely.

**Tbc.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**TRTSS31: Martian Encounters! – By DS Wynne**

* * *

**Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, War of the Worlds and other properties belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a multi-genre limited series. C&C are welcomed.**

**Author's Note: Due to a mistake on my part, here is the epilogue…of sorts. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Part 7**

* * *

All in all, Ranma Saotome's connection to Mars will always be a peculiar one, even obliquely, as noted by the company he keeps…

FLASHBACK!

1994 CE: Nevada, USA.

Upon receiving some rather cryptic news from a sister clandestine program, the Blackwood Group sends out an agent to check out the situation…

"Gee, imagine ME getting the call," Ranma said, as he drives into a heavily guarded, and highly restricted site in Nevada, dubbed "Area 28". Officially, it no longer exists on any maps. However, it is there that advanced alien research is conducted by the SETI Institute, which was based out in Las Angeles, California…

"It better be a good reason why I was dragged all the way out here," Ranma grumbled to himself, as he is allowed unto the premises…

"Okay, let me get this straight," Ranma said, as he paced back and forth. "You copied instructions from an alien transmission, used that to create a human being-"

"Xenomorph," said Dr. Xavier Fitch, who was the head of the SETI project that had called help in dealing with their problem. "She isn't human."

"Ah, it's a 'she'," Ranma said. "Go on."

"We designated the creature as 'Sil', which stands for 'sentient intelligent lifeform'. We wanted to learn about the aliens who sent the transmission through the creature."

"Right. You know, this is precisely why I can't stand scientists most of the time. They do stuff without thinking about the consequences of their actions, all in the name of science. Bah."

"I would expect something like that from a soldier. You have no idea what it takes to create a lifeform such as Sil."

"Oh, really? Well, then, let me explain to you what I think…

Ranma shocks Dr. Fitch with his knowledge of DNA assembling techniques, and even explained the process in detail.

"And any geneticist worth his or her salt would have recognized aggressive genetic strands BEFORE the procedure," Ranma said.

"You…have me at a loss, I admit," Dr. Fitch said. "I apologize for my presumption."

"No problem. Believe me, it does help to have a wife who is a scientist, by the way. Well, she's into weird science, but still…"

"Well, then, if nothing more, let me introduce to you your team…"

Upon tracking down Sil, Ranma turns to his teammates.

"Okay, here's the drill," Ranma said. "I would rather capture Sil alive than dead. But, considering the fact that she can morph into an alien killing machine, I don't want to put your lives and the lives of others at risk. So, be careful out there."

"Why do you insist that Sil is to be captured?" asked Dr. Fitch. "The creature is dangerous."

"Why do we put murderers on trial?" Ranma said. "Where I come from, I believe in giving even the worse of us a chance at redemption. And as far as I'm concerned, that 'creature' is 'human'. A killing machine bent on mating indiscriminately, but still…"

"He got you there, doctor," said Dr. Stephen Arden, the team's anthropologist said.

"Fine, but remember that I call the final shots," Dr. Fitch said, as he deactivates his active comlink.

"I don't think he looks too happy about any of this," said Dr. Laura Baker, the assistant to Dr. Fitch on the SIL Program.

"Doesn't matter WHAT he thinks," Ranma said. He then turned towards an empathy named Dan Smithson, a New Age African-American.

"Have you picked up some thoughts, friend?"

"She is definitely in that hotel," Dan said, as he spaced out a bit.

"You think?" Dr. Arden said. "We KNOW she's in that hotel, trying to find a man to mate with."

"We also know that she can adjust her looks at will," Dr. Baker said, as she hands a document over to Ranma. "You were right, Ranma."

"Xenomorphs are natural adapters," Ranma said, not wanting to get into the fact that Usagi, his wife, was, technically, a xenomoprh, thanks to being experimented upon by Weyland-Yutani, circa late 22nd century. No doubt, the research that would pave the way for what happened to Usagi was based on the work done by SETI.

"And some can even shift completely into new forms."

"You're talking about something right out of 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'," Dr. Baker said.

"Ha, if only you knew the truth about THAT."

"Huh?"

"Wait, she found someone," Dan said. "She's beginning the mating process!"

"Okay, everyone, be careful. Do not engage Sil. That's MY job."

"What can you do?" Dr. Arden asked.

"I'll think of something."

With that, the team climb out of the surveillance truck, determined to prevent Sil from mating. Unfortunately, they would be too late…

"I'm going down to the basement level," Ranma said, as he takes off his jacket and shirt.

"But…you'll get killed!" Dr. Baker said, referring to how Arden was maimed by Sil, even as he was being tended to by Dan.

"So?" Ranma said with a cocky smile. "Fitch didn't ask for my help just for me to play nice."

"Just…be careful," Dr. Baker said, as she goes up to Ranma, and gives him a big kiss.

"Dr. Baker?" Ranma said in surprise. "Not that I don't mind, but still…"

"For good luck, I guess?"

"Um, right."

And, with that, Ranma goes down into the basement, before going into the sewers below…

"We have you tracked, thanks to the local water people providing us an overlay of sewer system," said Dr. Fitch, as he and the team looked at a digital display of the map in the team's van.

"How are you doing down there?" Dr. Baker said.

"Smelly, but okay," Ranma said, as he wades through the sewers. "I'm going to need a bath everyday of the week if I'm going to get rid of this smell…"

"Ranma, I sense Sil presence," Dan said, as he used a computer tablet to mark the area.

"Captain Saotome, that's fifteen meters north of your present position," Dr. Fitch says.

"I can see why Sil would pick this area," Ranma said, as he emerges in an open area. "This particular spot would make a perfect hive, with its access to the LA basin and its humid temperature-"

"Ranma, Sil's moving towards your position!" Dr. Baker yells, using Ranma's personal GPS unit, and portal scanner.

"I don't see her," Ranma said. "I'm going 'silent mode'. You don't hear from me in five minutes, it means I've been compromised, and that there is a good chance that Sil's alive. Ranma: out."

"Ranma, wait-!"

CLICK!

Ranma steeled himself, as he goes from hunter mode to killer mode. Already, he could feel Sil's presence up close.

"I know you can hear me, so I will only say this once: give yourself up, and I will protect you from Dr. Fitch," Ranma said. "Do not give up, and your life will end here. This is your final warning-"

Suddenly, Sil rises up out of the sewer water, and tackles Ranma from behind. She was determined to get access to Ranma's body, by immediately incapacitate him by causing brain death, and then force his body to give what she needs by manipulating his body. Once impregnation has occurred, Ranma will be disposed of, and the next generation of Sils will be much stronger…

SPLASH!

Ranma is grabbed from behind, and both fall into the sewer water. There was tremendous splashing before all is still once more.

Dr. Baker was pacing back and forth, as the team waited for Ranma's signal.

"Trust me, he's alive," Dan said.

"I rather be sure that he's alive AND well, if you don't mind," Dr. Baker said.

Just then, the sewer lid near the van pops up, and is moved to the side. Armed soldiers immediately go on alert, as Ranma sticks his head up.

"Um, is there a problem?" Ranma said, as he climbs himself up onto the street.

"And the body?" Dr. Fitch said.

"Yeah, about that," Ranma said with a sigh, as he hulls up a body bag of a dead Sil. "I didn't want to risk further contamination of the bio-sphere, so…here I am with her."

"You okay!" Dr. Baker said, as she helped Ranma to his feet.

"Ow," Ranma said, as he placed his hand over his ribs. "Not exactly."

"You have done good work, Captain Saotome," Dr. Fitch said, as he looked at the body bag containing Sil. "We can handle the situation from here."

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma said dismissively. "Just remember this: no more answering the equivalent of a 'fishing e-mail', okay? I don't want to deal with this sort of nonsense again, you know."

Two years later…

"Major Saotome, we have a situation," said Dr. Fitch.

"Let me guess: you created another Sil, and so SHE is on the loose?" Ranma said with annoyance. He hated the fact that his training for the Jupiter Project, on the eve of the launch, was being interfered with by nonsense…

"Actually, you're only half right, Ranma," Dr. Baker said. "Apparently, SETI had authorized the creation of TWO Sils. However, the second Sil has more human DNA than xenomorph."

"Wait, it sounds like this other Sil hasn't escaped," Ranma said, as he turns to the military attaché for the program. "Colonel, why am I here?"

"You are here to capture this man," Colonel Carter Burgess, Jr, (USMC) said, as he hands Ranma a file. He takes one good look at the title, and, with a frown on his face, Ranma opens the file to see its contents…

"This can't be right," Ranma said. He then looked up at the general.

"They shouldn't have allowed for THIS mission to move forward. Don't you know what this means?"

"Yes, but the fact of the matter is that this mission was already approved of by the highest authorities."

"Well, Colonel, you leave me no choice but to get extra-help on this one," Ranma said.

"And that is why I insisted on your inclusion in this assignment, Captain," Dr. Fitch said. "You know more about Mars than anyone here, including how to remedy any problems that originate there."

"Well, that is true. But for the record, Mars, like Earth, has had several space-faring races originating from there, as well as different species going there to live. You know that transmission, the one that created Sil? It came from a race that used to call Mars home."

"How do you know this?" Dr. Baker said.

"I checked with an expert on all things Martian: J'onn J'onz, the Martian Manhunter. He's an old friend from my days with the Justice League of America."

"We did wonder about his origins," Burgess said.

"Well, he IS of Martian decent, as well as other people. And I'm not going to divulge their identities to you, after this latest fiasco with you guys."

"I could make you," Burgess said.

"I'm sure, if you manage to get past SHIELD's objections."

"Humph."

"At least, we should meet with Eve, Sil's 'sister'," Dr. Baker said. "Come, let me introduced you to her…"

A short time later, in a containment field, Ranma meets Eve.

"Hello," Eve said, as she straightens out her dress, and presents herself.

"Um, hello," Ranma said. He was taken aback how similar Eve was to Sil, in spite of Eve having shorter hair and a kinder face…

"You must be 'Ranma'," Eve said, as she pressed herself against the glass. "I…I would very much like to get to know you better."

Eve gave her best 'come hither' look…

"Is she okay?" Ranma said.

"Well, unfortunately, Eve, like Sil, is attracted to strong males," Dr. Baker said. "That's why all the guards in this area are women."

"Oh, I dropped something," Eve said, as she bent down to pick up a tennis ball that was lying on the floor. "I better…pick it up…"

Eve turns around to pick up the tennis ball while making sure that Ranma saw her rear-end.

"Frisky, isn't she?"

"It can be an embarrassment, sometimes," Dr. Baker said. "We've been trying to train Eve on female modesty, and I am afraid that she might be overwhelmed by other males."

"Then, why am I here?"

"We want you to bond with the creature," Dr. Fitch said. "Once bonded, she can help us track down the mutated astronauts, particularly Astronaut Patrick Ross."

"Yeah, the one who has become a xenomorph, and is raping women into bearing his brood," Ranma said grimly. He could recall how Usagi's own heightened senses were extended to her own sexuality, although, thanks to having mildly acidic blood and intense martial arts training, the Moon Princess was able to keep her body from being exploited by her own personal desires…

"We are lucky to have Astronaut Dennis Gamble being the only one not infected, due to his Sickle Cell Anemia," Burgess said.

"Where is he now?"

"He is waiting for us at the SETI Institute," Dr. Fitch said. "When you're done here, we can proceed."

"Great, just great," Ranma said, as he looked at Eve, whose hunger for him made him very nervous indeed…

**Tbc.**

* * *

**Next Time: Will Ranma succumbed to Eve's charms? Will Ranma become a xenomorph as a result of his encounter? What about the threat that Patrick poses to the unsuspecting women population? Stay tuned! Later…**


	8. Chapter 8

**TRTSS31: Martian Encounters! – By Ocramed**

* * *

**Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, War of the Worlds and other properties belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a multi-genre limited series. C&C are welcomed.**

**Author's Note: Due to a mistake on my part, here is the epilogue…of sorts. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Part 8**

* * *

Meanwhile, the target of the SETI team had walked out of a hotel room, carrying a wrapped bundle.

"It will be fine, kiddo," said Patrick Ross, as he spoke to his newborn son.

The baby cooed, as he looked up at his father.

Patrick sighed, as he turned to look at the woman whom he had impregnated. She, an exotic dancer from a local strip club, was sprawled across the bed, bloodied with a gaping hole in her belly. Apparently, when a xenomorph of the type that the astronaut has become are born via the belly, since female xenomorphs have more than birth canal. Unfortunately, since human females did not have this, their xenomorph child will still be born, via the belly button, causing instant death if not immediately treated.

With one more sigh, Patrick closes the door to the hotel room behind him, thinking that the exotic dancer was nothing more than a dead "trick". As for the future, the astronaut had more women to impregnate. After all, he did want to create a race of humanoid xenomorphs who will dominate planet Earth, just as it was done on Mars…

Meanwhile, Eve, the sister clone of Sil, is finally allowed to leave her containment unit.

GLOMP!

"Um, that isn't necessary," Ranma said, as he broke out in a sweat.

"I just want to get to know you…better," Eve said breathlessly, as she began to sniff Ranma's scent. "You smell nice."

"I like to stay clean," Ranma said. He then turned towards the others.

"Look, this isn't going to work, guys," Ranma said.

"Unfortunately, Eve is our only means to find Patrick at this time," said Dr. Fitch said.

"But she's all grab-hands- hey, don't touch me there!"

"But I wanted to make sure all the parts are all there," Eve said. "I DO want my first time be to be special."

"Help, somebody?"

"Wait, what if Ranma is a girl?" Dr. Baker suggested.

"How do you propose him to do that?" Colonel Burgess asked.

"Like this," Ranma said, as he becomes a girl.

"Oh," Eve said, as she immediately broke contact from Ranma-onna. Hesitantly, she grabs one of Ranma-onna's boobs, and squeezed.

"Yes, they are real," Ranma-onna said with embarrassment.

"Are…are you like this, for good?" Eve asked hopefully. She understood that xenomorphs can change genders as a survival mechanism.

"No, but if you continue to be all grabby, I might stay like this…by choice."

"Aw!" Eve said. "It's not fair! I find the perfect mate, and this happens."

"Tell me about it," Dr. Baker said quietly.

"I heard that!" Ranma-onna said. "I knew you liked me, doc."

"How was I supposed to know that you were already married?"

"'Married'?" Eve said, as her claws began to grow from her fingers. "Alright, where can I meet this…competitor? I bet she's not as fertile as I am."

"See what I got to deal with?" Ranma-onna said to Dr. Fitch.

"If we are done with this soap opera, I would really like for us to proceed with this mission," Colonel Burgess said.

"Of course," Dr. Fitch said. "At any rate, I've sent two of our team ahead to interview Major Patrick Ross' crewmate, Major Dennis Gamble at our Los Angeles office. From what Dr. Arden has said, Major Gamble should be cooperative."

"I hope so," Ranma-onna said, as she notices Eve trying to examine her, as her attempt to force Ranma-onna to become male again. "I can control my own body's 'configuration', you know."

"Oh, darn," Eve said. Then, she snaps her fingers in realization.

"Maybe, I can change genders to match YOUR configuration?" Eve said to Ranma-onna. "I really wish to make our coupling work."

"I've been trying to do that for years," Dr. Baker said, before realizing the implication of her statement. "The coupling part, of course…"

Ranma-onna sighs. This was going to be LONG mission…

A few hours later…

"So, let me get this straight," said Gamble, who was a moustache-wearing African-American male. "Patrick has become an alien."

"Xenomorph," Ranma-onna said.

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"No," Dr. Baker said. "Xenomorphs can be alien in origin, but generally it means that any species can adapt into another species."

"Riiight," Gamble said, as he turned towards Ranma-onna. "And you aren't?"

"Well, my grandfather is a humanoid alien, making me ¼ alien on my mother's side," Ranma-onna said.

"And this ability to change genders?"

"It was the result of a curse caused by training accident, thanks to my bon-headed father."

"And that's not the result of being part alien."

"No, the curse is terrestrial in origin."

"Do tell. And your friend, Eve, is alien," Gamble said, as he turned towards Eve, who leans back away from the group.

"Yes," Dr. Baker said. "She is a xenomorph trained to be a tracker of other aliens."

"Well, she looks human to me."

"Humph," Eve said.

"Pardon?"

"Unfortunately, she thinks that you want to mate with Major Saotome here, seeing you as a competitor," Dr. Arden said with a snicker.

"Well, that's before I realized that the redhead was really a guy," Gamble said. "Kind of a 'boner' killer."

"That's…not want to hear," Ranma-onna said.

"Then why are you a girl right now?"

"Watch," Ranma-onna said, as she becomes male again…

GLOMP!

"I knew you'd be back," Eve said breathlessly. She then turned towards Gamble.

"Stay away from my mate. Understand?"

"Um, okay," Gamble said in a confused manner. "Man, you 'cats' are weird..."

Pause.

"And I'm not even talking about including the 'psychic brotha' here," Gamble said, referring to Don.

"Be as it may, I need your help," Ranma said. "I know that Ross and Dr. Gabrielle Bryce had been infected by the strain of xenomorphic agents, collected from a 'hot spot' on Mars, but you weren't because-"

"It's because I'm 'black' wasn't it?" Gamble said.

"…What?"

"No, you were not infected because of your 'Sickle Cell Anemia', Major Gamble," Dr. Baker said. "Race did not come in play here."

"In fact, a xenomorph adapts to the race it assimilates," Dr. Arden said. "As a matter of fact, there is a school of thought amongst anthropologists that the reason why there are varied species on Earth was due to an intermingling of alien strain. In the case of the xenomorphs, tales abound of shapeshifters who hunted humans at night, giving credence to the legends of werewolves, vampires and other types of creatures from legend."

"Humph," Gamble said. "If I hadn't seen what happened to 'Gabby' in person, I'd a think you guys were full of it."

"Trust me, there are stranger things out there besides vampires and junk," Ranma said.

"So, I'm told," Gamble said, as he notices Eve knitting baby shoes while humming the song "Our Day Will Come".

"Um, where did you get that?" Ranma said, as he broke out in sweat.

"Oh, it's just something I picked up on the way here," Eve said. "I wasn't sure what gender our child will be, so I chose a soft yellow color for now."

"Um, okay," Ranma said, as he broke out in a sweat.

"This fun watching 'fearless leader' get prepped for his 'execution'," Don said with a whisper, even as Dr. Arden giggles.

Dr. Baker merely rolled her eyes, not amused at all by any of this…

Eventually, the trap was sprung, as evidence by the fact that Patrick managed to sneak into where he was suppose to be, and ran off with Eve.

"Help me!" Eve yelled.

"Hang on!" Ranma yelled, as he shook himself to stay awake. He then managed to turn towards Dr. Baker, who began to administer a treatment to his wounds.

"Since when do xenomorphs develop poison in their claws or whatever?" Ranma asked, between winces.

"Xenomorphs are the ultimate survivors," Dr. Baker said. "I theorized that this would be the case with the female of the species, but I didn't know males could develop poisons."

"Well, we know now," Ranma said sarcastically. "I hate surprises."

"As do I," Dr. Baker replied.

"Look, Laura-"

"I know. I shouldn't be so attached to guys like you, but, in many ways, human females are like Eve," Dr. Baker said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, even I can…feel some things."

"I…I don't know what to say…"

"Look, just promise me that you'll be okay, okay?" Dr. Baker said.

"Hey, I'm Ranma Saotome," Ranma said in a cocky manner. "I don't LOSE."

"Well, we're not exactly 'winning', either," said Gamble, as he runs to his side.

"What's the sit-rep?" Ranma asked, as he gets up onto his feet.

"Dan and Dr. Arden managed has Patrick's signals locked," Gamble said. "But I know where Patrick is taking Eve."

"Where?" Dr. Baker asked.

A short time later, at a remote farm owned by Patrick's family…

"You and I will become one," Patrick said, as he began to fondle and kiss Eve.

Eve didn't want to mate with Patrick, but her biological imperatives were already kicking in, even as she and Patrick were morphing into their alien forms.

"I'm…sorry, Ranma," Even said tearfully, as she was about to give in to Patrick's musing…

WHAM!

All eyes turned towards the entrance of the barn, where Ranma and his team stood.

"You," Patrick said with a growl.

"Yeah, ME," Ranma said. He wore only his pants and boots. His body was greased up, even as his muscles rippled in the moonlight from behind. And, his fists were properly bandaged for what will be a fight to the finish.

"And I brought friends," Ranma said, as he cracked his knuckles. With Dan and Dr. Arden outside to make sure that the government stay out of their operation, he and his team can concentrate on containing the situation.

"Patrick, buddy, we can help you," Gamble said. "Dr. Baker said that she has a retro-virus that will mute whatever it is that is happening to you."

"What if I do not WANT your help?" Patrick said. "I LIKE the new me. I don't have to be my father's legacy any more, and I can create a new one."

"But this is wrong," Dr. Baker said. "You've already killed several people, including women you've had sex with."

"Hey, I got to be me," Patrick smiled nastily.

Ranma squint his eyes. Whatever happened to Patrick Ross, he was clearly not human, either physically or mentally. In effect, Ross was a predator that might not be able to be saved.

"Last chance, Patrick," Ranma said. "Surrender."

"And what if I say…no?" Patrick replied.

"Then I will have to end you."

"I would like to see you try."

"Patrick," Gamble said in shock. "Buddy…"

"Ranma, I sense other life signs," Dr. Baker said, as she took her sensor readings. "I believe these are Major Ross' children."

"Doc, can you save them?" Ranma asked.

"Why would you want to save them?" Gamble asked.

"Where I come from, I do believe in the right to live," Ranma said, as he steps forward, not taking his eyes off of Patrick. "If you can save Major Ross' kids, do so. If not, end them."

"Very well," Dr. Baker said with a nod. She knew that Ranma was capable of killing people, but she knew that Ranma did not like doing so, which made him a tragic, yet noble, human being…

"Go," Ranma said. "Gamble, protect the doctor."

"Alright," Gamble said, as he ushers Dr Baker away from the door and towards the stairs on the left side.

"No!" Patrick said, as he charges forward.

Ranma charges forward to intercept Patrick's attack vector. He slides on his knees, and then removes a bladed weapon from its sheath, which was strapped to the small of his back, on his belt, and cuts into Patrick.

SLICE!

"Arrrgh!" Patrick screamed, as he tumbled forward.

Ranma rolls forward, and then hops to his feet. He then flicks Patrick's blood off his blade, and begins to flip the blade in his hand. Normally, Ranma doesn't use weapons in his fights, but he doesn't mind doing so in this case. And, in this case, he was using the Klingon weapon known as a "Mek'leth", a short sword or dagger designed to close-quarters melee combat.

"Strike one, Patrick," Ranma said, as he points his weapon at Patrick. "This fight of ours will end badly for you, if you do not surrender."

"No," Patrick sneered. "You big knife or whatever the hell that is won't stop me…"

Patrick stands up, even as his wound instantly heals.

"Cut me all you want, I will just get better!" Patrick said, as he spits out a volley of spikes from his mouth.

Fft! Ffft! Fft-!

Ranma swats away the volley, but was forced to move to another part of the barn. Patrick sees this, and intercepts Ranma, tackling him through a barrier of a horse stall.

CRASH!

"Ranma!" Eve yelled, as she struggled to get out of her tentacle bonds.

Ranma holds back Patrick's maw, even as Patrick morphs parts of his body into living spikes…and uses them as living stabbing weapons.

SPLURCH!

"Urgh!" Ranma said, before he coughed up blood. He then forces himself to use legs, and rolls Patrick away, flipping him in the process.

FLING!

Ranma gets up, slowly, as he holds his stomach. He was more annoyed by the fact that his bracers, created by Tsunami herself, had limited his abilities in combat, than actually getting injured. After all, he was no stranger to pain and suffering, thanks to being who he is, and who his loves and rivals are. Thankfully, he could use a form of bio-manipulation, taught to him by the Hindu yoga masters, the same masters who taught the Street Fighter Dhalsim his fighting arts, to begin the process of healing his wounds.

"I really hate this," Ranma said with a grunt, causing his wounds to heal almost instantaneously.

However, there would be no rest for the martial arts master, just as Patrick attacks again.

"GRROWL!" Patrick roared.

"Oh, shut up," Ranma said, as he leaps forward, spins overhead, and this slices Patrick's head in half.

SLICE!

"RRAARGH!" Patrick screamed, as he clutched his now-distended head.

Meanwhile, Ranma lands on his feet, and then circles back, ready to face Patrick again.

"Strike two," Ranma said.

Patrick seemed the gurgle, as he begins to form two heads.

"Oh, got to be kidding me!" Ranma yelled. He then looked at his bracers again. For some reason, they would not allow him to cut lose.

'There has to be a reason why I can't use my full power on this guy,' Ranma thought to himself. 'What am I missing…?'

Ranma kept his eyes on Patrick, who seemed to become more monstrous by the second.

'Patrick is adapting to his environment, but what can he NOT adapt to-?'

Just then, he remembered something, a key piece of information.

"Wait, that's it!" Ranma said. He then narrowly avoids getting bitten by Patrick's two heads.

"Yow!" Ranma said. He then spies up a support beam. He looks up, and then uses his senses to determine who was on the second floor.

"Ha!" Ranma said, as he kicks the support beam, causing part of upstairs to collapse.

CRASH!

"Ah!" Gamble said, as he fell down.

"You okay down there?" Dr. Baker asked.

"We're fine!" Ranma said.

"What the hell was that for, man?" Gamble asked.

"I apologize for this," Ranma said. "But I need your help."

"Um, fine," Gamble said. "What do you need?"

"I need some of your blood."

"What? How is that going to help?"

"Why do you think you didn't become like Patrick?" Ranma replied.

"Ohhhh," Gamble said. "But how are you going to get some of my blood?"

"Like this," Ranma said, as he took a swipe of Gamble's leg with his blade.

SLICE!

"Yowtch!"

"You'll heal," Ranma said. "But I'll make it up to you."

"You better," Gamble said, as he clutched his leg.

Satisfied that he had enough of Gamble's blood, which was diseased, thanks to Sickle Cell Anemia, Ranma faced Patrick again. In order to stab Patrick in the heart, he would have to get close and personal…

"Okay, Patrick, here comes 'Strike Three'!" Ranma said, as he went full bore, and narrowly avoiding getting "tagged" by what Patrick has become. In a last minute feint, Ranma tricked Patrick into a move that enabled Ranma to deliver the final blow.

"HA!" Ranma yelled, as he stabbed Patrick in the heart.

"Arrrrghhhh!" Patrick yelled, as he flayed about while falling backwards. He ability to adapt was being compromised, as his body began to breakdown…

And then, it was over.

"Damn," Gamble said, as he shook his head in disgust. He then turned towards Ranma.

"What are we going to say about all this?"

"Simple," Ranma said, as he leans back on a nearby post. "Major Patrick Ross died a hero…on Mars…"

Ranma then looked back at what was left of Patrick.

"That thing we dealt with wasn't Ross," Ranma said. "Understood?"

Gamble smiles a bit, knowing that his best friend's legacy would not be marred by what became of him.

Later, back at Area 28, a meeting is taking place…

"So, it's agreed," said Dr. Harrison Blackwood, as he sat at a table with Dr. Xavier Fitch and Colonel Brugess, Jr.

"We agreed so that the SETI Program does not get compromised," Dr. Fitch said.

"And I don't like the idea of having to be under the authority of more civilians, frankly," Col. Burgess, Jr. said. "But, considering what has happened, the sooner we sweep the last 48 hours under the rug, the better…"

A short time later, in the cafeteria…

"Well, that's that," Gamble said, as he nursed his wounds. "I get to take over from Colonel Burgess as the military liaison, vis-à-vis the United States Air Force, and you get to be the head of the SETI Institute."

"I guess, so," Dr. Baker said, as she sipped her coffee. "Meanwhile, Dr. Xavier gets to be the execute director of the Blackwood Group, taken over for the group's founder, which oversees all alien encounters, especially those Mars related."

"You don't sound too happy, Doc."

"Well, I was hoping that Ranma would stay on, but, well…"

"I know," Gamble said. "But it would have been awkward considering that Eve would see you as a rival for Saotome's affection."

"I know," Dr. Baker replied. "You know, I don't know how someone like him could make me feel like a school girl with a big crush."

"Beats me," Gamble said. "Say, where is Saotome anyway?"

"He wanted to take Eve out on a date," Dr. Baker said.

Gamble raises an eyebrow.

"No, it's not that type of date," Dr. Baker replied. "At least, I hope not…"

Somewhere out in the desert, Ranma was pointing to Eve the stars, and naming them for her.

"And what's that?" Eve asked.

"That is the constellation Orion," Ranma said. "Legend has it that Orion was a hunter, who had offended the Earth Mother to such a degree that she sent a scorpion to kill him."

"And that is…the constellation Scorpio?"

"Correct."

"I don't see the logic of naming patterns of stars, Ranma," Eve replied.

"That's because you have yet to see the beauty in ordinary things," Ranma said. "Besides, it is those stars that were used to guide ancient sea travelers, mostly."

"Oh, I see," Eve said.

Silence.

"Ranma?"

"Yes, Eve?"

"Why have you not tried to mate with me?" Eve asked. "Am I not attractive?"

"Very," Ranma replied. "But I want you to find yourself first, which is why I managed to convince Dr. Xavier to give you more freedom, including being out in the world."

"Well, I do appreciate that," Eve said, as she leans over and cuddles with her chosen mate. "Then, I shall wait for you until you are ready to mate with me."

"I do appreciate that, Eve," Ranma said, as he breathed a sigh of relief. Last thing he wanted was to be accused of taking advantage of an innocent girl, even if she was part alien predator…

END FLASHBACK!

Eve was looking out towards the stars, on Ranma's back porch, after the conclusion of the football game, when Akane steps out.

"Your bed is ready," Akane said.

"Thanks," Eve said. "Akane?"

"Yes?"

"Do I have permission to mate with our husband?" Eve asked.

"Why do you need…my permission?"

"Just a matter of courtesy, since this is your home," Eve said, as she turned to face her co-wife. "I…waited so long to mate with Ranma, and, well…"

Akane sighs. She wanted to get mad at Ranma for having yet another wife, but, since Eve was Ranma's before she had gotten married…

"Knock yourself out," Akane said.

"Thank you," Eve said, as she hugs her co-wife. "I really appreciate this…"

And, with that, Eve rushes back into the house.

Late in the night, Akane bangs on the wall of her bedroom.

"Would you keep it down?" Akane yelled. "SOME people have to get some sleep, you know!"

"I'll say," Rei said, as she turns over. She was sharing the bed with Akane, since Ranma was otherwise occupied.

"He was never THIS vigorous with me, even on our honeymoon."

Akane merely shook her head in disgust. Still, at least her other guests had went home after the Thanksgiving dinner…

**Fin.**


End file.
